LC polling passes off peacefully

Hyderabad, Mar 16 (UNI) Barring stray incidents, the elections to the Legislative Council in Andhra Pradesh from Local Authority Constituencies (LACs) as also Teachers' and Graduate constituencies passed off peacefully this evening.

Police resorted to lathicharge on Telegu Desam Party(TDP) activists, led by former Minister T Nageswara Rao, in Satanapadu in Khammam District, protesting against breach of secrecy by voters casting ballot in the LAC, police sources said.

No incidents of bogus voting or snatching of ballot boxes were reported so far from any of the constituencies, State Chief Electoral Officer V Bhaskar told reporters here.

According to reports received by the CEO, more than 90 per cent polling was registered in the 26 LACs and 64 per cent in the eight Teachers constituencies and 47 per cent in Graduates constituencies.

Complaints like breach of secrecy by voters and companion accompanying literate voters were received from Mahboobnagar and Sattenapalli.

In Vetapalam in Prakasam district, a TDP polling agent was initially prevented from observing the polling process on technical grounds and the agent refused to take part in it when he was allowed.

Tension prevailed for sometime in Srikalahasti and Punbanoor in Chittor district as TDP activists objected to Congress leaders accompanying their ZPTC and MPTC members to prevent any cross voting.

The vote of Mandal Praja Territorial Constituency member was declared invalid as he did not maintain secrecy in Yerpedu in Chittor district, a report from Tirupati said.

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